A Gift of Peace
by Arianna18
Summary: My first ever HTLJ story.


GIFT OF PEACE  
by Arianna

_Disclaimer: This story is not intended to violate any copyrights held by MCA, Universal Studios, Renaissance Pictures or any other entity involved in the making of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys._

The shadows on the ledge on the edge of the Abyss of Time lightened as an eerie green light began to glow and then formed into the sinister hooded and robed figure of Hope, the evil daughter of Dahok. Hope slowly raised her arms and called out commandingly, "Hera, _come forth_, I have need of you!"

There was a blinding flash of light that filled the cavern as, within its glow, Hera materialized before Hope. Hera, the embodiment of regal, if evil, majesty, stood for a moment staring at her deliverer, and then a slow smile curved her lips and glinted in her eyes.

"Hope, we meet at last," she crooned, and then she began to laugh deep in her throat, jubilant to have been released from the Abyss, the laugh that was all her own, bitter and grating. Finally able to speak again, Hera studied the powerful being who had freed her. "So, you need me do you, young Hope? Well, bringing me out of the Abyss is a good beginning. What, exactly, do you want of me?" she asked finally, honestly curious.

"I want Hercules..." Hope began in her cool, dispassionate tones.

"Dead? My pleasure!" Hera intervened, only too happy to comply. It's was Hercules' actions that had resulted in her being trapped in the Abyss...one more score to settle with him.

"No, Hera, I want him _alive_." Hope's voice had a quality of cold arrogance, flat and uncompromising, as she refused the goddess' desire. "I want Hercules to _choose_ to serve me for the rest of his life. I want you to help persuade him to do so."

"_Really_? Now that _is_ something I would enjoy...and I have an idea of how to compel him to make such a choice. But," Hera added in a voice smooth as oil, "what happens to me then? What would be _my_ reward?"

"Hera, do this for me and I will give you such power that all the other gods, including Zeus, will tremble in your sight and will kneel down before you to be commanded by you and you alone," Hope replied in that same flat tone.

With a cynical half smile, Hera contemplated Hope's promise. The Queen of the Gods was not such a fool as to believe this alien goddess would not have her own agenda of power. In a voice dripping with sarcasm, Hera queried, "And **_who_** will command **_me_**, you or Dahok? I should warn you, I don't take direction well..."

A smirk of superiority played around Hope's lips, as she replied with cool indulgence, "We are content to leave you Greece. Hercules will enable us to command the rest of the world."

"Mmm, that will suffice," Hera agreed to the offer. Then, leaning forward, one conspirator to another, she continued. "I have an idea that I think you will like," Hera said with a cruel smile, "Hercules has one vulnerability and his name is Iolaus. Here is what I think we should do..."

As Hera outlined her plan to Hope, they were unaware that their meeting was being observed by a brooding figure in black leather hidden in the shadows, just out of their sight. Ares listened with growing alarm and when Hera was finished, with the echo of their unholy laughter in his ears, he faded quietly from sight.

"Come on, Jason, come hunting with us! It's only a couple of days. Seems like we never do anything fun together anymore..._commmme onnnn_! You _know_ you want to," Iolaus wheedled as he, Hercules and Jason visited in the yard outside the house Jason had shared with Alcmene before her death.

The former King of Corinth grinned as he regarded his perpetually boyish friend. Somehow, he marvelled, Iolaus had never lost that childlike enthusiasm with which he invested all his activity, and which, Jason suspected, allowed Iolaus a rare joy in life despite the hardships and pain he'd known. Coming out of his reverie, shaking his head, Jason sighed in regret, "Oh, I'd like to, but there are so many chores this time of year, so much to do to get the garden ready for winter. I just don't think I can go right now...next time, I promise."

Hercules shook his head, as he replied in an admonishing tone, "Jason, there is more to life than chores...but, if you're sure, we'll be on our way."

"Oh, I'm sure...and you know," Jason continued thoughtfully as he studied his two friends, "the two of you look like you could use a bit of rest and relaxation. Iolaus, you are looking more tired than I can ever remember seeing you and Hercules, you don't look like you've slept much in days."

The two heroes look at each other, Herc raising a slightly amused brow as a chagrined look stole over Iolaus' face. Turning back to Jason, Iolaus explained with an embarrassed shrug, "Yeah, well, I've been having nightmares the last couple of nights and I'm afraid I've been disturbing Herc's beauty sleep.'

"Nightmares? That's not like you, Iolaus. You usually sleep like a log!" Jason teased his old comrade gently.

Herc chuckled as he gently punched Iolaus on the arm, provoking an offended "Oww!" from Iolaus who rubbed his arm as Hercules continued, "Well, I'm hoping for an undisturbed night tonight. Gods, Jason, the snoring is bad enough, but when he starts shouting..."

Jason nodded understandingly, "I can imagine...maybe you should leave him here to do the chores while you and I go hunting!"

"Alright you clowns, everybody has bad dreams once in awhile. It's probably just something that Herc cooked...all those exotic herbs ... and vegetables, ycchhh!" Iolaus intervened, pretending to be bothered by their goodnatured banter.

"That _I_ cooked?" Herc protested in mock outrage. Everyone knew that it was Iolaus who was the terrible cook! "You're just saying that because I complained about your snoring."

"I do _not_ snore, I sleep like a log, dead to the world...Jason just said so!" Iolaus lectured back, then grinned cheekily. They laughed happily together, and in these high spirits, Herc and Iolaus took leave of Jason and set out on their much anticipated hunting trip.

Later that night, Hercules and Iolaus were asleep on either side of the embers of their fire in a forest clearing near a small gurgling stream, when Iolaus began to mumble, thrash around and call out. Once again trapped in the recurring nightmare, again and again Iolaus saw scattered and fragmented images of himself hanging by his arms, shuddering as he recognized Hera's peacock eyes glaring down upon him. In the throes of the dream, he felt pain the like of which he had never known, and he could hear echoes of Herc's voice whispering "I can't, Iolaus, I can't" followed by the hot plunge of a knife ripping through him...and then...nothing.

Hercules, awakened by his friend's cries, came fully alert when he heard Iolaus crying out in a pleading tone, _"Please, Herc...please."_

Rolling smoothly to his feet, Hercules took two quick strides to his buddy's side, his heart in his throat when Iolaus moaned as if in mortal pain. He dropped to one knee to grab Iolaus by the shoulders, shaking him gently as he called, "Iolaus, wake up! You're having that nightmare again...WAKE UP!"

Iolaus shuddered and groaned softly before his eyes opened, a glazed, confused look haunting his eyes.

"Are you all right?" asked Hercules gently, genuinely concerned about these relentless nightmares and the toll they were taking on his friend. Iolaus' eyes were dark with remembered pain, and there were shadows deepening under his eyes, his face too pale and gaunt from lack of sleep and lingering fear.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Iolaus nodded, pushing himself up to sit hunched beside Hercules. He rubbed his face with his hands, and ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to stop the trembling, his voice an apologetic murmur as he said, "Sorry, Herc...the nightmare just keeps coming back, the same images, the same feelings. It's so confusing ...and, frankly, it's _very scary_."

"Iolaus, this is the _third_ time tonight that you've had this nightmare and it's been tormenting you _every_ night like this for almost a week," Hercules replied, his eyes narrowed in concern, wishing there was some way he could help alleviate whatever was tormenting his buddy. "Maybe it would help if you talk to me about it, tell me what's happening in the dream. What kind of monsters are haunting you...or hunting you?"

Iolaus sighed and shook his head, as he replied wearily, "I can't get a grip on it, Herc. It's just so many scattered images...and _**pain**_. Hera's there, and so are you. I'm trapped somehow and can't get away..."

Hercules frowned, as he cut in, interrupting Iolaus' recounting of his night terrors, "Hera? But, she's lost, trapped in the Abyss." Thoughtfully, the demigod continued as he placed a reassuring hand on Iolaus' shoulder, "You know, it might be bad memories as much as bad dreams, Iolaus. We've a long history of Hera giving us grief."

Iolaus thought about that for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't think so, Herc...this is different from anything I've experienced before," he replied, his voice haunted by the fragmented memories of soul crushing agony.

"Different how? What makes the dream different from the battles we've had with her before?" Hercules pushed, trying to understand.

Iolaus chewed on his lip, avoiding Herc's eyes. Finally, he murmured, "Herc, I think...I think I die in the dream." Then, with a sense of wonder in his eyes, he looked up at Hercules as he continued, "The really weird thing is that it feels like dying is a good thing...a relief." But, then, he caught Herc's troubled look of appalled denial of such a thought, so he just sighed, "I know, I know...it doesn't make any sense."

Hercules paused a moment, not liking the sound of this. Sometimes dreams weren't just dreams...sometimes they were visions of an as yet undefined future. He needed to know more, needed to try to make sense of it all. "Iolaus, who or what kills you in this nightmare?" he asked, studying his friend intently.

Iolaus rubbed his hand across his mouth, then looked thoughtfully up at Hercules, knowing his buddy wasn't going to like the answer. Swallowing, Iolaus said quietly, "I'm not sure...but, I think you do."

Startled, Hercules unconsciously reared back, more than a little horrified by even the thought of such an impossibility. "**No**! Iolaus," Herc protested, shaking his head vehemently, "you know **_nothing_** could ever make me...that's just _**crazy**_!"

"Yeah, well, what can I say, it's a nightmare. I just wish it would stop," Iolaus muttered with a frown. But, unable to stand the stricken look on the face of his best friend, Iolaus hurried to reassure him, "Look, Herc, it's alright, okay? It's only a bad dream, a _really_ _bad_ dream. But," the hunter continued with more confidence that he felt at that moment, "dreams aren't real, they're just...dreams. I _know_ you would never hurt me."

Herc stared uneasily back at his friend as he nervously raked his hair back from his forehead with his fingers. "Iolaus, it's just _not_ possible..."

"I know, _I know_," Iolaus reassured him again, then hesitated as he remembered the lingering impression of endless, hopeless torture. His eyes distant, clouded with the memories, he whispered softly, "but, maybe, some things are worse than dying."

Iolaus caught the sharp look that Herc threw at him, and deliberately shook himself free of the dream and the bleak mood it engendered. Forcing himself to smile, Iolaus said with hearty, if false, confidence, "But, it _was_ only a dream, and now that I've finally told you about it, it probably won't come again."

Needing to change the subject, uncomfortable with the disturbed look in Herc's eyes, the hunter stood and stretched, looking toward the brightening sky in the east. "Well, I guess we won't get any more sleep tonight... and, besides," he said with his impish grin, "I'm hungry!"

Willing to go along with the distraction, Herc couldn't help but smile at his irrepressible friend as he shook his head, "Iolaus, you are _always_ hungry."

"And your point would be...? Never mind, you build up the fire and I'll go check the snares I set last night." Iolaus winked as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation, "With luck, we'll have roast rabbit for breakfast!"

With an exaggerated sigh, Herc pulled a face as he complained, "Don't you _ever_ get tired of rabbit? Yeah, yeah, Iolaus, I know the answer."

The friends laughed, their good spirits restored by the familiar teasing. Herc got up to put more wood on the fire while Iolaus headed into the forest.

Iolaus whistled softly as he moved quietly through the predawn light and then knelt to check one of his snares, mumbling to himself, "Empty, shoot, I _really_ don't feel like having Herc's idea of breakfast...fruit and nuts, yuck!"

Suddenly, Iolaus was startled by a brilliant flash of light and a low, seductively evil chuckle. In one fluid move, he slipped the knife from his boot into his hand as he leapt to a defensive stance, ready to fend off whatever came at him. But he didn't expect this. Dumbfounded, he stared in disbelief as Hera and several of her inhuman thugs materialized in the grove around him.

"Hera!" he exclaimed, "_this can't be possible_! You're supposed to be trapped in the Abyss of Time..."

"Really? Well, you seem to be misinformed," Hera responded dryly as she gave Iolaus a long, appraising look before smiling coldly as she continued with a throaty chuckle, "So nice to see you again, Iolaus, I've missed you. You know, I really think we need to spend more time together."

Unnerved by her laugh, and not completely sure that he wasn't still dreaming, Iolaus took a breath to call for Hercules.

"Wait, Iolaus, before you call Zeus' whelp, let me show you what will happen if that misbegotten excuse for a demigod tries to interfere," Hera intervened with an imperious gesture before he could call out. As Hera waved of her hand, reality fell away and Iolaus could see the future play out in front of him. With growing horror, Iolaus watched the scene unfold...

_Hercules, as usual, positioned himself between Iolaus and Hera to shield his friend from harm. Hera  
lashed out with a bolt of pure energy, staggering Hercules, and then, before Herc could recover,  
Hera's archers appeared. Herc was hit by three arrows, lurching heavily back into Iolaus' arms...  
where the demigod shuddered once, and died. _

Iolaus looked away from the painful scene, biting his lip. Then, taking a deep breath to steady his emotions and summoning up all the false bravado he could muster, the hunter shrugged, replying off-handedly, "That's only your version of the future, Hera. In my version, we win...like we always win."

Still, Iolaus didn't call out to his friend...he wasn't prepared to take the slightest risk that Hera's version of the future could be possible.

"What do you want, Hera? Why are you here?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he watched her warily.

"I've told you Iolaus, I want _you_. Put down your knife and come along quietly, or fight and be dragged...I don't really care," Hera replied, quickly growing bored by the mortal's predictable resistance and useless bravado.

"Well, it's nice that you missed me, but I'm not going anywhere with you, not now...not ever," Iolaus responded, his knife drawing small circles in the air between them as he braced himself for the attack he knew had to be coming.

Shaking her head, Hera regarded with a moment more of pained impatience, then signalled her goon squad, "Take him...but, remember, I want him alive."

Half a dozen of Hera's finest charged forward at Iolaus, intent upon overwhelming and subduing him.

"Boy," Iolaus thought with brief regret, as he waited for his moment to take them on, "do I ever wish I had my sword!"

Then, he was in motion, leaping into the air, driving both feet against the nearest thug, knocking it sideways. Iolaus curled and rolled as he landed, coming up behind two others that he slashed deeply with his knife. The wounded creatures disappeared without a sound and Iolaus grinned, thinking, "This might not be so hard after all!''

Ducking as one thug swung at him, he spun behind the goon, jumped onto its back and slashed down, forgetting that it's hard to stay in the air when your ride vanishes. Curling to land again in a roll, Iolaus came up with his back to the forest, taking stock of the situation. He hadn't even started to breathe hard yet and there were only three left standing. If it wasn't so scary, he would have been really enjoying himself. Laughing, he taunted the Queen of the Gods, "Well, it's been a great before breakfast workout, Hera, but let's just call it a day, shall we?"

Hera had watched the battle unfold with increasing disgust and was not impressed with his insolence. "I don't have time for this," she snarled as she unleashed a bolt of lightning that blew Iolaus off his feet, slamming hard him into a tree. His knife fell from his suddenly nerveless hand as he sank to his knees and pitched, unconscious, unto his face.

"Bring him," Hera ordered her minions. When they had grabbed Iolaus by the arms and dragged him upright, his head lolling and his knees bent, Hera gestured grandly and they all disappeared...leaving behind a single peacock feather which floated gently to the ground, coming to rest upon Iolaus' knife.

Back at the campfire, Hercules heard someone coming through the woods and called out, "Iolaus, what took you long? I was about to go looking for you!" He looked up with a smile that froze in momentary confusion when he saw that it was Jason, not Iolaus, who was coming into the camp. Recovering, he called out, "Jason! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I thought you weren't coming?"

"I know you didn't expect me Hercules, but I thought about the two of you alone out here in the woods and I decided it was my duty to come and make sure you didn't get lost," Jason replied sentiously. Then with a smile at his longtime friend, he said quietly, "You were right, the chores can wait."

Hercules chuckled mildly as Jason sauntered into camp, continuing with his explanation, "And, Iolaus was right, too. It's been too long since the three of us have gotten away together." Jason looked around, noticing that Hercules was alone in the camp. "Speaking of Iolaus, where is he?"

"I don't know...he went hunting for rabbits quite awhile ago," Hercules replied, his eyes lifting to the direction Iolaus had taken when he'd ambled out of camp. "I was just about to go looking for him."

"Ah well, you see, I knew one of you would get lost!" Jason snickered, not worried. "Let's go find him."

The comrades laughed as they set out, chuckling at the unlikely idea that the greatest hunter either of them had ever known could possibly get lost in any forest. Iolaus hadn't been trying to hide his trail so it was only about fifteen minutes later that they came upon the snare, the knife...and the feather. Hercules was silent as he brushed the feather aside, picked up the knife, then stood and tucked it into his belt, behind his back, but his mouth had gone dry, and his heart had clenched at that familiar harbringer of trouble.

Jason looked puzzled, as he asked with a frown, "Isn't that Hera's usual trademark? But that's impossible...she's trapped in the Abyss, isn't she?"

Herc looked up, a grim expression on his face, as he replied thoughtfully, "She was the last time I saw her...but, now? I'm not so sure."

Studying the ground, Hercules and Jason could see the signs of a fight. Whatever had happened, Iolaus had not gone quietly. Hercules stood, hands on his hips, staring grimly at the ground, more specifically, at the lone peacock feather. "I don't have a good feeling about this, Jason. Iolaus...well, Iolaus thought Hera was torturing him in his nightmare."

Deciding there was nothing more to be learned in the clearing, Hercules turned back to the camp. Jason, following close behind, protested, "But, Hercules, nightmares aren't real."

Hercules shook his head and grimaced as he called back over his shoulder, "Jason, I've found when it comes to the gods, what's real, and what isn't, is not so easily defined. Someone has taken Iolaus and the evidence, such as it is, would indicate that it was Hera."

Jason nodded, frowning with worry, as they jogged quickly back to the clearing where the heroes had set up their camp, "Well, I can't fault your logic. Where do you think we should start looking?"

Hercules dropped to one knee to hurriedly throw their gear back into Iolaus's pack, as he muttered, his chest tight with anxiety, "Your guess is as good as mine." Standing to kick out the fire, his brow furrowed in thought, Herc paused, then suggested, "She has a major temple about two days from here."

"It's as good a place to start as any. Let's go," Jason replied, also wanting to be off as quickly as possible.

"No, Jason, I don't think you should come," Hercules said, turning to face his old comrade. "If Hera is involved, it could be too dangerous."

"It's not your decision to make, Hercules," Jason argued, shaking his head. His voice brooked no argument as he continued, "Iolaus is my friend, too. I'm coming."

Hercules recognised the stubborn determination of a former King and was unwilling to waste any more time trying to change his mind. Reluctantly, he nodded, giving in, "Alright, fine, but, we need to move fast. If I'm right about this being tied to Iolaus' nightmares, there's no time to waste."

Remembering the wrenching moans of pain when Iolaus was dreaming, the pleading...and the haunted look in his eyes when his buddy woke up, Hercules felt anxiety fill his chest. Two days before they'd reach the temple...two days that Iolaus would have to endure whatever Hera had planned for him. Gods, it was too long. If they didn't stop, they could make it before dusk the next day. The demigod swivelled on his heel and began to race through the forest, with Jason right behind him.

Moving as quickly as they could through the dim forest, loping with ground eating strides along forested paths, Jason called out, "Hercules, tell me more about this nightmare that Iolaus has been having."

Without breaking his stride, Hercules recounted what he could recall of the scattered images and impressions that Iolaus had shared with him not much more than an hour before. All but the end of it. He couldn't bring himself to imagine, let alone talk about, the death of the man who was closer than a brother to him, the friend who was the foundation of his life.

Impelled by a growing sense of urgency and foreboding, they travelled quickly, stopping only briefly to replenish their waterskins at a stream. Unvoiced questions haunted their thoughts, driving them forward. Who had overcome Iolaus? Why had he been taken...and where? If Hera was at the root of this, how had she gotten out of the Abyss? And, while neither spoke of it, they wondered if Hera _had _taken Iolaus, would he still be alive? Logic said yes...if his assailant had wanted him dead, he would have been killed in the clearing.

It was a meagre hope, but all that they had and it drove them forward, unwilling to stop to rest, or sleep, they kept travelling through the night.

Shortly after dawn, they emerged from the forest and, far in the distance, high on the crest of a mountain, they could see the dark shape of Hera's fortress temple. Lightning flashed over the ramparts as Herc heard Hera's low chuckle on the wind.

The demigod shuddered with fear for his friend as he murmured under his breath, _"Hang on, Iolaus, I'm coming for you...I'm coming, buddy."_

When Iolaus regained consciousness, he found himself inside an immense cavern, dark and cold, hewn from the stone of the mountain. Torches flickered in brackets on the wall, casting an uncertain, wavering light that barely penetrated the gloom. He was hanging in the centre of the cavern, his arms stretched out and bound by cords of light to the ceiling high above, suspended like a man on an invisible cross. He pulled hard with one arm, to test the strength of the cord, and was stunned, left breathless, by the arc of pain that shot through his body. Panting, he noticed that his clothes had been taken from him, and then the hairs on the back of his neck bristled in warning...there was something evil hovering near by, something he couldn't see.

"Ah, good, you've finally awakened," crooned the voice that sent shivers through his soul.

Iolaus jerked in unconscious resistance, only to feel fresh spasms of pain shoot down his arms from the cords holding him above the floor. When he was again able to breathe, and with considerably more caution to minimize the pull on his arms, he turned his head as far as he could, to see Hera standing close behind him.

Smiling with evil satisfaction, she ran her hand down his back, chuckling when he couldn't repress a shudder of revulsion. "Welcome, Iolaus, to your new home."

Iolaus summoned a cheeky grin as he shook his head, trying for nonchalance, "Well, it's nice of you to have invited me to visit, Hera, but you shouldn't count on me staying...I wouldn't want to outlast my welcome."

"Not to worry. Relax, get used to the place," Hera encouraged with an expansive wave, "You're going to be here for a long, long time." The goddess chuckled again in dark amusement as she moved around him, studying his body. "Not bad," she crooned, "for a puny mortal." Then, standing directly in front of him, staring deeply into his eyes, she murmured, "Perhaps I should explain why I've brought you here, Iolaus."

Iolaus fought back against her attempted intimidation, refusing to break eye contact, even though looking into that swirling malevolent gaze was like looking into the depths of Tarturus. "No hurry, Hera," he replied in a flat voice, "take your time."

Hera's face split in a maniacal grin and her laughter echoed through the depths of the cave. "Time, yes, we have all the time in the world," she gasped in unholy amusement. Her laughter stopped as abruptly as it had started as she fixed him with a glare, her eyes glittering with hate, her voice dangerously low as she asked, "Do you have any idea how much I despise you?"

"Well, probably almost as much as _I_ despise _you_," Iolaus shot back, his voice and eyes cold with loathing.

Hera backhanded Iolaus across the face and he had to gasp against the fire of agony that tore down his arms to his chest as the force of her blow swung him on the cords that bound him. "Insolent worm...I am going to destroy you," she growled, hatred blazing from her eyes.

Swallowing against the hideous pain, unimpressed by her venom having seen it all before, Iolaus sighed, "Hera, for as long as I've known you, you have threatened to destroy Hercules, or me, or anyone else he cares about. Maybe you could be a little more specific about what's going on here."

"Hercules threw me into that Abyss," she choked out with indignant rage, "I could have been trapped there forever and I will never forgive him for that. Frankly, little man, I would rather that it be Hercules hanging here, but Zeus would never allow me the revenge I am determined to have...so, I will have to make do with you."

"O-kay, you want revenge...what a surprise," Iolaus drawled, sarcasm clear in his voice, wishing she'd get to the point.

Hera drifted her fingers across Iolaus' cheek, and he flinched away. "You can't get away, you know. These cords that bind you are forged of your own life force. So long as you live, nothing can break them apart."

Iolaus narrowed his eyes as he studied her face, thinking, 'This doesn't sound good.'

"And, so long as you are hanging in this cavern, I hold you in my power...which means that you will hang here for all eternity," Hera promised him, only too obviously relishing the prospect of being able to torture him for all time. She paused, amused by the disconcerted look on his face, "Ah, now that seems to have gotten your attention."

"Eternity is a long time, Hera. Anything could happen...don't count on me staying around _that_ long," Iolaus spat back, trying again for bravado. But, his chest was constricting with the sense that he'd been here before...and that he knew what was going to happen next. Swallowing, trying to prepare himself for the agony he anticipated, Iolaus shuddered to realize this had all been part of his nightmare. Gods, the dreams had been a warning of his future, and now it was coming true.

"You think not? You think, perhaps, that your oh so loyal friend, Hercules, will come and rescue you? Well, he _is_ coming. I _want_ him to come. I may not be able to torture him directly, but I can torture _you_ and that's almost as good," she crooned, "because we both know that seeing you in torment, and being unable to help you, will tear his soul apart."

Iolaus struggled to keep his face expressionless, determined not to show the fear that was starting to build inside. Gods, Hera was right. Hercules would feel this was his fault, he would blame himself and if he couldn't get Iolaus away from Hera, it would wear away at his soul. They did not often speak of their feelings for one another, but Iolaus knew that Herc felt the same for him as he felt for Hercules. If their situations were reversed, and he could not rescue Hercules from perpetual torment, he would go insane.

But, confirming that for Hera wouldn't help anything.

"I think you overestimate my importance to Hercules," Iolaus prevaricated, looking away from her gloating expression. "We're friends, sure, but 'tear his soul apart'? I don't think so. Besides, hanging around here isn't so bad...a guy could get used to it, in a masochistic kind of way..."

"You think you're so brave," she replied coolly, not buying his apparent unconcern. "You think that you can resist me...you're wrong, little man. Before long I will have you begging me for mercy. From this moment on, you will have no food..."

Iolaus chuckled, "Now, _that_ hurts!"

"...you will have no drink. You will not be allowed to sleep." She snapped her fingers, "And, now, your torment begins!"

Immediately, there was a blinding slash of pain in his back as a whip cut deeply into his skin, drawing blood. Surprised, unprepared, Iolaus cried out. He heard her pleased murmur, "You see, I _can_ hurt you," as the whip fell again. And again. And again. Tears came to his eyes as he squinted against the pain, determined not to call out again, not to give her the satisfaction.

It became a war between them as they stared into each other's eyes, hour after hour, until his back was no more than ribbons of flesh, his breath heaving in his breast and his blood dripping to the floor below him. Unable to restrain the tears of agony which spilled from his eyes, panting for breath, he prayed for the mercy of unconsciousness...but the release never came.

"Why, Iolaus, you seem to be at a loss for words. Cat got your tongue?" she gloated, leaning so close he could feel her breath on his face.

Too weak and hurt to talk, Iolaus lifted his head defiantly and spat at her.

Jerking back in surprise, Hera snarled dangerously as she wiped the spittle from her face, "Well, maybe it's time for a something a little different." She nodded again to the tormenter he couldn't see.

One of Hera's thugs marched with his stiff, awkward gait over to the wall and pulled down a torch, then turned and marched back to stand beside her. She took the torch and with a sadistic smile moved toward her captive hero.

"Oh gods," he thought desperately, "help me..._don't let me scream._" But, his body was not as strong as his spirit. In an agony of searing whitehot torment, he could not stop the screams that tore from his throat as she burned him without mercy.

Beyond the echoes of his own screams, he could hear her laughing.

Was it hours or years later that she stopped? Iolaus didn't know anymore. The agony had been endless, had reached to the depths of his being. He couldn't pass out, he couldn't resist, he couldn't fight back...he could only suffer. What had she said? That he would endure this for all eternity? Gods, he would go mad.

After the fire, they had beaten him. There wasn't a patch of skin on his body that wasn't torn, bruised, bleeding or burned. The bones in his arms and legs felt as if they were broken, and his breath whistled painfully in his chest, as if his ribs had been crushed. There were cuts over his left eye and at the corner of his mouth. But, after the fire, he had found his silence. Drawing deep upon the training he had received in the east, he had pressed his lips together and simply endured.

Gradually, he noticed that the beatings had stopped. Wincing against the pain, he looked up at Hera, and he felt an immense rage when he saw her look of smug satisfaction.

"Do you begin to understand, Iolaus? Do you have an idea now of what life holds for you throughout all of the endless years of forever? How do think Hercules will react when he sees you like this, broken and bleeding, helpless before me?" she drawled.

Iolaus flinched at the image her words conjured...Hercules staggered, shattered by his inability to stop this brutal torture of his best friend. Sick with what this would do to Hercules, Iolaus could do nothing but look away and try to pretend it didn't matter. But the goddess read the horror in his eyes, and was unable to contain her delight knowing she had touched him, wounded more than his body...had dealt a blow to his heart.

But, it was not enough. She wanted him to beg.

"What's it like, Iolaus, to wish with all of your being for death, but to know that you cannot die?" she asked with cold cruelty.

Iolaus ignored her, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of a response.

"I want you to beg for mercy, I want to hear you plead with me to end this torment."

"No," he muttered, refusing even to look at her.

She smirked, as she studied her handiwork, "We'll see." Hera nodded at his tormenters, and it began again.

"If _you_ won't beg for mercy, perhaps your friend will beg for you," she mused.

Iolaus did not respond. Fixing his eyes on the far wall, he gathered his courage to his heart and endured. Blinded by the agony, Iolaus did not see Hope standing silently in the corner shadows.

Watching. Waiting.

It was late afternoon by the time Jason and Hercules had climbed up to the temple gates. Jason was exhausted by the forced pace they'd maintained, and the lack of any rest. But, he set that aside as unimportant. They had to get to Iolaus as quickly as possible, get him out of Hera's clutches. Hercules, unaware of anything except his burning need to get to his friend, driven by fear and foreboding, led the way to the temple steps.

Hera had known they were coming, had counted on it. She knew _nothing_ would stop Hercules from finding his friend. But, it couldn't seem too easy. He would expect resistance and she was only too happy to have it waiting for them. So it was, as they approached the steps to the temple, Hera's goon squad materialized around them, trapping them within a circle of mindless muscle.

As the thugs silently moved in on them, and the two warriors positioned themselves for defence, Jason murmured, "Well, it looks like we came to the right place."

The former King of Corinth pulled Iolaus' sword from it's scabbard and swung it with good purpose at the goons nearest him, catching one a decisive blow, causing it to disappear.

The others came on undaunted and, reaching for the one closest to him, Hercules raised him into the air, and sent him sprawling, crashing into a half dozen minions, and then the demigod, filled with fury and fear for his friend, waded into their midst, slamming them with his fists.

_"**I don't have time for this,"**_ the demigod growled as he spun around and catching one with his boot, flinging the evil thing over the cliff while Jason hacked and stabbed, each blow destroying yet another opponent. Both fought with practiced precision, without fear for themselves, but with a grim and furious determination that was building to a cold rage within their hearts. These goons would not stop them, would not keep them from rescuing Iolaus from Hera's clutches.

Finally, it was over. Jason dropped the tip of his sword to the ground and leaning upon it, fought to catch his breath. Hercules' face was a frozen mask of anger. Without words, the two comrades turned and marched up the steps into the temple.

Inside, there was silence. In the dimness, they could just make out an altar to Hera, offerings strewn upon it. Candles on the walls created an uncertain, wavering light that barely beat back the shadows between the pillars of the massive hall.

**"HERA!"** Hercules roared as they entered, **"SHOW YOURSELF!** I want to see you **NOW!**" Jason watched the shadows as Hercules fought to bring his rage under control. Anger could make him careless, could get them both killed.

_"**HERA! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME FOREVER! HERA!"**_ he thundered again.

"I'm not hiding from you, Hercules. I just had to...make a few last minute preparations to welcome you properly," she replied mildly as she materialized in front of him, brushing absently at an imagined speck of dust on her sleeve.

"I don't have time for your games, Hera. Where is he? What have you done with Iolaus?" the demigod demanded, his voice tight with the rigid control he was exerting over himself. He wanted nothing more than to blast her back into the Abyss.

"All in good time, Hercules. Relax, your little friend is alive, if not _at all_ well, and I assure you, he's near by," she assured him with an arch smile.

The tendrils of fear curled in his gut as he tried not to imagine what Iolaus was suffering. Swallowing, he again took refuge in his anger, wanting to wipe that hideous grin from her face, _**"I want to see him. NOW."**_

Hera regarded this much loathed stepson coldly, "You are in no position to command me, Hercules. Arrogance will not help your friend."

Furious, frightened for Iolaus, Hercules fought to bring his emotions under control. She seemed to want to talk, well, fine...maybe he could find out what she was after. "What is this really about, Hera? What do you want?"

"It's very simple, Hercules, I want revenge...revenge for having been thrown into the Abyss. Revenge for all the times you have thwarted my will. Revenge for your very existence."

"Then fight **_me_**, Hera. Let Iolaus go," Hercules exclaimed, holding his arms wide, inviting her to take him on.

"Oh no, Hercules. He _is_ my revenge upon you. When you see what I am doing to him, what he is enduring to pay your debt to me...well, let's just say, it should be interesting," she gloated with unholy anticipation.

Cold fear clutched at Hercules' heart, and Jason paled as he heard her words. What had she done to Iolaus? What were they going to find?

Idly, she waved toward the altar, explaining, "There are stairs behind the altar. They lead to the cavern below this temple. I'll be waiting for you there." And, then, she was gone.

"Hercules, what do you think she's done...?" Jason whispered, the dread of what they would find clear in his voice.

Hercules swallowed hard around the fear in his own throat, his chest constricted by anxiety, making it hard to breathe, as he answered quietly, "I don't know and I don't want to guess. Let's go."

Filled with foreboding, they skirted the altar and started down the stairs carved from the stone of the mountain, curving steeply into the darkness far below. Finally, they reached the bottom and could see a squared opening in the wall not far down a passage, dimly made visible by the flickering of torches in the darkness beyond.

Hera was waiting for them, watching, so that she could make their first impression of what was happening here memorable...indeed, unforgettable. She planned a vision of horror that would haunt their nightmares for the rest of their lives.

Just as they came through the entrance to the cavern, Hera flung a bolt of pure energy at Iolaus, sheathing his body in blue fire, wrenching his arms against the cords that held him, tearing a long gutteral scream from the centre of his soul as his body writhed in unendurable torment.

Jason and Hercules stood transfixed by the horror of what they were seeing, believing that Iolaus was being incinerated before their eyes, that the scream was his last rush of breath. _"By the Gods,"_ Jason gasped, sickened by the sight before them, _"Zeus have mercy on his_ soul."

_"**NOOOOOOOO!"**_ cried Hercules, breaking from the shock that had held him immobile, running toward his strickened friend, desperate to end this unspeakable horror.

_"**HERA! STOP IT! PLEASE, YOU'RE KILLING HIM! STOP!" **_Herc screamed again, pleading desperately from the depths of his soul, as the blue fire continued to consume his best friend, Iolaus writhing as his screams continued to rip from his throat, growing weaker as the torture stripped away his awareness of who he was, what was happening or why...carrying him closer to the realm of madness he knew could no longer be far off. Even as he fought to endure, Iolaus knew he'd welcome that madness when it finally came.

As abruptly as the bolt of energy had begun, it ceased leaving Iolaus hanging limply, as if lifeless, from the ceiling.

Hera smiled in triumph, as she called softly to her victim, "You see, Iolaus, I _told_ you he would beg." Looking over at the two warriors, Hera motioned them forward. "Come in, come see my handiwork. Iolaus has been waiting for you. Come..."

Unable to believe that Iolaus could have survived the assault, Hercules and Jason slowly moved forward, numb with horror and despair. As they came closer, they could see the ruin Hera had made of their friend's body...the shredded skin of his back and legs, the charred burns on his chest and arms, the cuts and bruises.

_And, they could hear his ragged breathing._

_"Iolaus?"_ Herc stumbled at the unexpected sound of Iolaus fighting to draw air into his lungs. Hercules shuddered with the realization that Iolaus was suffering beyond what any man could endure without dying. His heart twisted in his chest, and he had to gasp for air. He couldn't take it in, couldn't... _'Oh gods,'_ he thought, _'oh gods...Iolaus...' _

Jason gagged, and had to whirl aside, wretching violently, revolted and sickened by what Hera had done. Tears of blinding pity filling his eyes and overflowing onto his cheeks, his heart raced as he tried to imagine the torment Iolaus was being forced to endure, knowing that no one could ever imagine it...no one should ever have to suffer it.

Slowly, trembling with profound despair, Hercules circled around Iolaus, taking in every cut, every bruise, every burn, until he was facing his best friend, Iolaus' every shuddering breath stabbing like a dagger through the demigod's heart.

Iolaus was hanging with his head down, his ragged, sweat soaked curls obscuring his face. Stunned and barely conscious, gasping for breath, aware only of the haze of pain that was consuming him, he felt dimly grateful that the torture had stopped, even if only for a moment.

Hercules looked up at the bindings stretching to the ceiling, and then back at the battered face of his friend, scarcely aware of the tears brimming in his eyes. Herc reached out and lightly touched Iolaus' face only to have his friend flinch away defensively.

Stricken, Herc whispered hoarsely, brokenly, "Gods, Iolaus, I'm so sorry...I swear, I'll get you out of this. I'll find a way, I promise you."

Iolaus shivered at the unexpected sound of Herc's voice, wondering if he was hallucinating. Weakly, he raised his head and winced when he saw his best friend standing there, the horror and guilt written on his face. He didn't want Herc here...didn't want him to see this. There was nothing Herc could do to help him, and that knowledge would destroy his friend.

Gathering what was left of his strength, tears of despair in his eyes, Iolaus whispered in a voice trembling with agony, _"Herc, you shouldn't have...come. She's using me...against you. There's nothing...you can do. Please...go away." _

Hercules bit his lip as he reached out to gently stroke Iolaus' cheek. Shaking his head, trembling with grief for what Iolaus was being made to suffer on his account, he murmured, "Iolaus, I will _not_ abandon you."

In a rage, desperate to free his friend, Hercules reached up and tore at the cords around Iolaus' wrists. Iolaus arced back in agony, shuddering with the pain that coursed through him, unable to stop himself from screaming out **_"NO! Gods, Hercules, STOP!" _**

Aghast, Hercules let loose the bindings as if they had suddenly seared him with fire, sick that he had only caused more pain to torture Iolaus. Helpless, sick with despair, he looked up toward the ceiling, his fists clenched by his sides, as he struggled for control. Taking a deep breath, the demigod turned to face Hera, who wasn't bothering to conceal her satisfaction at the reactions her handiwork had provoked.

Hercules swallowed his pride and did something he would never have done for himself. He begged. "Hera, please...he doesn't deserve this...let him go."

A cruel smile stole over her lips and her eyes glimmered with unholy delight. She had known that the agony she was inflicting upon Iolaus would flay Hercules' soul. With a tone of triumph, she refused, "No. I have hated you, and this wretched little man, for years, Hercules. I want you to suffer, as I have suffered, ever since you were born."

_"**Then, take your revenge on me!"**_ the demigod cried, ignoring the muffled moan of protest from the friend hanging at his back. Iolaus couldn't stand it, couldn't stand to hear Herc beg that bitch for his sake...wouldn't accept a solution that still left one of them in her clutches.

"You're missing the point, Hercules," she cried, waving a hand toward Iolaus. _**"This is**_ my revenge on you. I could think of nothing that would give you more pain than to know that _**this man**_, this mortal you call _**brother**_, will hang here for all eternity...and every day of that eternity I will satisfy my hate for you with his pain."

Herc stared at her for a long moment, unable to imagine the kind of twisted mind that would inflect such hideous torment and find it satisfying. But, none of that mattered. All that mattered was getting Iolaus away from her. Shaking his head, denying her prophesy of the future, his voice tight with fury, Hercules vowed, "I _**will**_ get him out of here, Hera."

But, Hera remained infuriatingly calm, her voice confident, "No, Hercules, you won't. Those bindings you tried to tear from his arms are forged from his own life force. As you could see, tearing at them only causes him more agony. _**As long as he lives**_, those cords cannot be severed...and, while he is here within my power, he cannot die."

Jason had stood to one side, listening to the exchange, appalled by what he was hearing. Gods, how could they leave Iolaus like this...there had to be something they could do. Knowing what this must be costing Hercules, Jason moved to stand beside him, placing his hand on Herc's shoulder, silently offering understanding and support.

Hercules had been staggered by what she'd just said, knowing she had the power to hold Iolaus in thrall forever if she chose. Desperately, his mind raced, trying to find some answer to this, some way to free his friend, but he kept coming up against walls of hopelessness. He could fight her for all time, and still not have the power to bend her to his will. And, in the meantime, Iolaus would suffer, suffer without relief, without end.

Hera, certain of her victory, was shrill as she cursed him, "Zeus forbids me to kill you, Hercules, and I _**won't**_ kill your friend. So _**live**_, live everyday knowing that with each breath he takes, Iolaus wishes he was dead. Live, knowing that he is here, in your place, suffering because of you. LIVE, Hercules, knowing that this," and she swept her arm at Iolaus, "_**this**_ is the price he pays for a lifetime of loyal friendship." She laughed bitterly, hissing, "_**I hope you live forever**_!"

Hercules stood frozen, still as a statue, staring at her, while hatred mingled with overwhelming despair, grief and guilt, and a refusal to accept this was all that would ever be, raged inside of him. Grimly, he made his own vow, "I will destroy you, Hera, before I will allow you continue hurting him."

Hera laughed, contemptuously waving off his threat, "Don't be ridiculous, you can't destroy ME."

Weary of the game, suspecting Hera was enjoying it too much, Hope decided it was time to step forward from the shadows to move her own agenda forward. Jason caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning, seeing her emerge from the shadows, he clutched at Hercules' arm, drawing his attention to the new presence in the cavern, saying quietly, "Hercules, look..."

Hercules turned his head, and as he watched the silent, hooded figure glide toward them, he felt a chill pass through him. "Who are you?" he demanded, knowing instinctively that her presence meant nothing good.

"I am Hope," she responded in her curiously toneless voice.

"Oh gods," gasped Jason, as his grip on Herc's arm tightened, "this just keeps getting worse."

Hercules ignored him. Nothing was worse than what was happening to Iolaus.

_**Nothing**_.

"Why are you here?" the demigod asked quietly, watching her warily, suspecting now that there was a great deal more to what had been happening here in the cavern, more than just Hera's revenge in play.

"I wish to make a deal with you Hercules," Hope replied, with the slightest tone of amused superiority shading her voice.

Hercules narrowed his eyes as he contemplated her words, "What kind of deal?"

"Hera owes me for bringing her out of the Abyss. Accordingly, I have demanded the right to bargain with you for Iolaus' freedom," she replied, her posture shifting slightly as her hooded face turned to regard the ruin of the man hanging in the centre of the cavern.

"Be careful, Hercules," Jason murmured, knowing this had to be a trap.

Agreeing with Jason's assessment, Hercules nodded. This was too easy, too convenient. Not taking his eyes from Hope, he pushed for more details, "What kind of bargain did you have in mind?"

Shadowed by her hood, little could be seen of Hope's face. There was a hint of a smile on her lips and a trace of light was reflected in her eyes, as she replied quietly, "I want you to pledge yourself to me, Hercules, pledge to do my will for the rest of your life."

_"**No, Hercules!"**_ Iolaus cried out then, his voice breaking in desperate denial. He would not be used like this, would _not_ be used to force Herc to forswear everything he was, everything he stood for, for his sake. "You _**can't**_ do that! _**NO**_!"

Sobbing against the pain and with the effort of struggling fiercely against his bindings, Iolaus begged, his voice a hoarse whisper, _"Please, Hercules, no."_

Herc whirled to face Iolaus, holding out his hands in desperation, feeling caught, trapped, as he replied, his own voice ragged, "Iolaus, I _can't_ leave you like this..."

Iolaus drew a shuddering breath, then spoke with quiet determination, drawing upon all that he had left, to speak clearly, with no hesitation. To speak firmly, with strength, and conviction. "No, Hercules. It would betray _everything_ we have ever stood for, fought for. Don't you understand? _I'd rather be dead_ than see you be a slave to Hope's perverted will..." His voice broke then, and he dragged in a breath, determined to continue making it clear that in no way would Hercules be saving him by making such an evil bargain. "I _swear_, Hercules, if you do this, and I am set free, I will _fight_ you. I will fight you until either you kill me or I kill you...and if I am the one who wins that fight, I'll kill myself."

Appealing to Jason then, Iolaus rasped, "Tell him, Jason, tell him he cannot, must not, do this." Iolaus paused for a long moment, then said into the silence, holding Herc's eyes with his own, _"Herc, I would rather die."_

_"Iolaus._..." Hercules' soul was in that whispered moan, knowing what Iolaus was asking of him. Shaking his head in horrified denial, unwanted tears filling his eyes, he stammered, _"I can't._..."

Bored, wanting to make it abundantly clear, Hera cut in, "The choice is not his, Hercules, it is yours. Just remember, he won't die if you do not accept this bargain, but he will suffer for all eternity."

Iolaus knew Hercules, better than anyone else ever had or ever would. He could see Herc's consideration of Hope's offer in his buddy's eyes, and he knew there was nothing Hercules would not do for him. But, he could not allow this. He was the one hanging here...it was his life that was at stake, his choice to make.

Fighting back, desperate to keep his friend from selling his soul, Iolaus drew upon all the strength he had left, his words tumbling out breathlessly as he lied, "Herc, it's okay, I can stand this, really I can. She can't get to me. I won't let her. When her goons are busy beating me up, my mind goes away. I lose myself in the memories of all the great things we have ever done, all the best times we've shared...and, gods, there're enough of them to last forever."

Herc looked away, his head down, swallowing against the sob he felt rising in his throat at Iolaus' willingness to sacrifice himself to a horror beyond imagining, for him, for what they both believed in. When he looked back up at Iolaus, he couldn't speak...just wordlessly shook his head, tears glimmering in his eyes.

Bravely then, with immense strength of spirit, Iolaus conjured up a grin, "_Believe me_, Herc, I'm _not_ really here. It's okay, you can go, leave here, forget this, forget me. This isn't real...I'm not real."

His heart breaking, not fooled by his friend's gallantry, unaware of the tears slipping down his cheeks, Herc gazed at his friend, seeing the burns and bruises, the cords that bound Iolaus, and the courage shining in his buddy's eyes.

"This really is a nightmare, isn't it, Iolaus?" Herc rasped hoarsely, shaking his head as if dazed by a reality too immense to accept. "I can't..._I can't_ just leave you like this. _Forget you_? No, not possible, my friend...I _have_ to get you out of here."

Hercules paused as he looked over at Hope, "But, I don't know if I can do what's needed to set you free."

Iolaus thought his own heart would break when Hercules turned back to him, his face gray, his eyes haunted, helpless and sick at heart over the choices he faced.

Hera spat out her impatience, "Enough! I'm tired of this pointless chatter. You need time to think Hercules, to consider Hope's offer...and the alternative if you refuse her. Come back if you wish to agree to her demands." She waved her hand with imperious impatience, and Herc and Jason suddenly found themselves in the courtyard at the base of the temple steps.

Staggered by the sudden shift, they reached out to steady one another. For a long moment, they stood silently, locked in the horror of what was happening, wishing somehow that it was all just a terrible dream, knowing that it was only too real.

"Hercules, what are we going to do? How are we ever going to get Iolaus away from her?" Jason shuddered with the memory of Iolaus' wounds, swallowing hard against the bile in the back of his throat as he saw again, in his mind, that blinding blue fire and heard those soul-searing screams.

Hercules looked at Jason, wondering what he could say. He didn't know how to rescue Iolaus from this. His strength would not be enough this time. Silently, the demigod shook his head and slowly sank down on the steps of the temple. Bracing his elbows on his knees, he curled over, holding his head between his hands. He wept, then, wept with pity for his friend, with the grief and guilt that this was his fault, wept with despair at his own helplessness...and with the heartbreaking knowledge of what he was going to have to do.

Jason watched with sorrow, shattered by the rough, broken sobs of despair. Slowly, he moved to sit by Hercules and took him in his arms. "Don't, Hercules...don't. It's not your fault."

Herc couldn't answer, shuddering as he tried to control his tears. He felt as if a giant fist was crushing his chest, ripping his soul from his being. Wordlessly, locked in their own grim thoughts, they sat quietly together as night fell silently around them. Finally, when the air chilled, Jason stirred himself to gather wood and started a fire.

Staring into the flames, he queried quietly, "Hercules, this is the nightmare, isn't it? The one Iolaus has been having all week?"

Startled by his friend's voice after the hours of silence, Herc shivered unconsciously as he affirmed Jason's guess, his voice husky, "Yes, I believe it is...I don't know how it's possible, how he could have known...but, yes, this is the nightmare."

Jason frowned as he turned his head and studied the demigod. Biting his lip, he wondered, "Did he say anything about how it ended? Anything about how he escaped all of this...or, er, if he escaped?"

Hercules gazed blindly at Jason as he recalled Iolaus' words, 'I think I die in the dream'.

Unable to face Jason, he turned his eyes to stare into the flames, as he whispered, "He thought...he died..."

"_Dear gods, Hercules!_ Is it even _possible_ for him to die?" Jason gasped. When Hercules didn't respond, the former King asked, "Did he have any idea _how_ he died in the nightmare?"

Hercules wanted to scream, _'No! Don't ask me that! I can't face that!'_ but, instead, he only said softly, the pain of it echoing in his voice, "He thought that I had killed him."

Jason stared wordlessly at Hercules, gripped by the horror that such an idea caused him, knowing he couldn't begin to imagine how the very thought would torture Hercules. But, then, thinking back on all they'd seen, he shook his head sadly as he turned to gaze into the flames. After a long moment, he said with quiet, but steady, conviction, "After seeing what she's doing to him, I can understand death might not be such a bad thing."

At his words, Hercules heard again the echo of Iolaus' voice, recalled the haunted look in his buddy's eyes, 'some things are worse than dying'. The demigod had wanted to deny those words just two short days ago, but now he understood, and knew that, yes, some things were worse than the oblivion of death. What was happening to Iolaus was an obscenity. That it could go on for all eternity was beyond imagining.

"Hercules," Jason mused, trying to make sense of it all, knowing he never would, "have you thought that the nightmare means that all of this has been decreed by the Fates? How else could Iolaus have glimpsed the future?"

"The Fates!" Hercules raged then, letting out the hurt, the fury, the desperate guilt. "Why would the Fates despise us enough to torment him like this, to make me kill him? It's my fault, _my fault_ for fighting the gods. _Iolaus has to either suffer or die to punish me." _

Hercules buried his face in hands, whispering brokenly, "Oh, Jason, I can't stand it. How can I _kill_ Iolaus? _How could I live with that?"_

Jason watched him silently for a moment, understanding Herc's despair...but, then, he remembered Iolaus' ruined body, the threat of endless torment, "Can you live with what's happening to him now?"

"No," Herc whispered, "no, I can't leave him here, leave him to endure this..." His voice broke, as he struggled to decide what to do. After a long moment, Hercules looked at Jason, "Maybe the only way is to agree to Hope's demands."

Jason, understanding that Hercules would do anything to free Iolaus, would sacrifice himself willingly rather than face taking Iolaus' life, shook his head, "You know you can't do that, Hercules."

In despair, Hercules shouted, "Why not? What about Iolaus? He doesn't deserve to suffer through eternity. I cannot, _**I will not**_, let that happen!"

Refusing to rise to the anger Herc was feeling, Jason responded in a reasonable, if sad, tone, "It's _because_ of Iolaus that you can't give in to Hope."

Hercules looked at Jason mutely, not wanting to hear him. But, knowing this needed to be said, Jason continued relentlessly, "Hercules, listen to me. You _know_ I'm right. Iolaus told you himself...he would rather die than have you throw away everything the two of you have ever stood for. Hope would turn you into a monster that would rampage and kill innocents. Iolaus was telling you the truth when he said that he would fight you. Would you rather kill him that way, as a maddened beast?"

"Maybe he'd kill me..." Hercules murmured, staring out into the gathering darkness.

"You'd force him to take the very action you shrink from doing yourself...force him to kill his best friend? Gods, that would hurt him more than what he's enduring now. Hercules, no...if you can't do this for him, I will."

Hercules looked sharply at Jason, who only shook his head as he continued quietly, "If we can't free his body, Hercules, do we not at least owe him the peace of freeing his soul? Wouldn't you want him to do the same for you, if the situation was reversed?"

"Gods, I wish I _could_ die in his place...it would be better than this," Hercules sighed with utter sincerity.

"I doubt that Iolaus would agree with you," Jason replied, weary. He sat back, knowing Hercules needed time to come to grips with what had to be done...if indeed, it was even possible to release Iolaus' soul.

The friends fell silent, each locked in their thoughts, staring into the flames. All through the long night, Hercules thought about what Jason had said, thought about Iolaus saying that he would rather die than see Hercules surrender to Hope. But, each time he imagined the action, the reality of taking Iolaus' life, he flinched away from the image, feeling sick, hating himself for his own lack of strength. He knew, in the depths of his soul, he knew what he had to do. If he couldn't give Iolaus the gift of freedom, he owed him the gift of peace.

Jason had drifted into an uneasy sleep hours before, waking as dawn was breaking in the eastern sky. It was going to be a beautiful day, mocking the pain they faced. He wished instead for thunder and torrents of rain. Looking at Hercules, he saw the demigod staring at the knife he held in his hands, the knife that he and Iolaus had forged together.

So long ago.

Herc, hearing his best friend's voice echo in his memory, _'This knife wasn't meant to take your life,'_ had to swallow hard, and blink back the tears that burned in his eyes.

Mesmerized by the knife, Jason asked, "Hercules?"

Hercules looked up at Jason, his face haggard, his voice roughened by despair, the pain in his eyes so profound that Jason wanted to flinch away from it. The demigod said quietly, "I realized, Jason, sometime during the night, that Hope and Hera are lying to us. If those cords binding Iolaus cannot be severed while he lives, then Hera has no intention of releasing him...she'll either keep him imprisoned, or kill him."

Jason heaved a long sigh and turned away, no longer able to bear seeing the pain etched in Herc's face. "What are you going to do, Hercules?"

"What I have to do, Jason," Hercules said with flat hopelessness, as if his own soul had died. "You were right last night...I owe this to him. He would do it for me...and, if he has to die, better it be quick and merciful by my hand, than slow and horribly, by Hera's."

Pausing, he looked up into the brightening sky, then continued quietly, "You know, if our situations were reversed, I don't think he would even hesitate to do what was needed. I know it wouldn't be any easier for him, but Iolaus has always been braver than I am...he has a different kind of strength."

Jason nodded sadly, as he murmured in reply, "I know what you mean, Hercules, but... what if he can't be killed? Hera said..."

"I know what Hera said," Hercules broke in harshly. "She lied. She made such a point of emphasizing that he can't die...she always makes the mistake of protesting too much when she's lying. He can't be beaten or burned to death, that's appallingly clear. But, if you think about it, there were no sword, arrow or knife wounds. If he really couldn't die, she'd be using him for target practice and there'd be arrows or knives sticking out of every part of his body."

Abruptly, knowing he could not put this off any longer, that every moment he hesitated, Iolaus suffered hideous torment, Hercules stood and kicked out the embers of the dying fire.

"Hercules, can you really do this? Without it tearing you apart? If not, I ..." Jason's voice was thick with sympathy.

"It's alright Jason. I can do this," Hercules replied, gazing at him with sad but steadfast determination. Looking away, after a moment he said, as if to himself, _"For Iolaus, I can do anything." _

Slipping the knife into his belt behind his back, Herc turned back to Jason, "It's time to go...the longer I put this off, the longer Iolaus suffers. I promised him I wouldn't leave him there...that, somehow, I'd free him from her. It's time."

Jason nodded, put his hand on Hercules shoulder and, together, they climbed the stairs back into the temple.

Hera could not restrain a smile as she saw Hercules and Jason walk into the cavern and move to stand between her and Iolaus.

"Ah, so you have returned. I assume this means you will accept our terms," she gloated.

"Maybe," Hercules replied quietly. "But, before I tell you my decision, I need to speak to Iolaus."

With an exaggerated sigh, Hera acquiesced. "Very well."

Hercules glanced briefly at Hope and then turned to face Iolaus, who was hanging limply, his head fallen forward, his hair hiding his face, once again lost somewhere within the hell of his suffering, not really aware of what was happening around him. Gently, Herc brushed the hair back out of Iolaus' eyes. His friend moaned softly before he raised his head, his dazed eyes slowly focusing on Herc's face.

Iolaus knew, as soon as he saw the stricken look in his best friend's eyes, he knew. And, he knew he couldn't ask Herc to do this, no matter what the price. With infinite sorrow for what his friend was suffering shadowing his own eyes, Iolaus murmured, "Hercules, you don't have to do this, I can't ask you to...I know you, Herc, this would haunt you..."

With a crooked smile, Hercules replied with a kind of awe, "You know, Iolaus, you are the only person in my whole life who has never asked anything of me, never wanted anything from me, except to be my friend." Shaking his head in wonder, "Even now, you won't ask ...you would sooner suffer _this_ than cause _me_ pain."

"Herc, I _know_ what this will cost you. I...I can't stand it," Iolaus' voice broke as tears filled his eyes. Fighting for control, he continued hoarsely, "I want you to remember what we've done together, not this..._not this_..."

Watching the struggle in his friend's eyes, Iolaus' voice caught as he realized that, indeed, he did have to finally ask for something from Hercules. It was the only way he could take responsibility for the decision, for what must be done. Stealing a look at Hera, he took a deep breath, then said fiercely, "Alright, I'll ask. It's what I want...Herc, _please_, it's the only way I can be free of her." Capturing his best friend's eyes with his own, he entreated, "I want this nightmare to end, I want _peace_...but you have to accept that this is _my_ decision, _my_ desire. No one else can do this for me...and I can't do it for myself."

Iolaus paused a moment, then continued, knowing his words would compel Hercules to do what he so badly didn't want to do, make him realize, finally, there really was no other choice. _"Please Herc, don't make me beg..."_

Misunderstanding completely the meaning of their words, assuming that they were still grappling with the only choices she had given them, surrender to Hope and free Iolaus or refuse and leave him with her, Hera grinned wickedly, "You see, Hercules, your 'friend' has decided to beg you to sacrifice yourself, rather than leave him here with me."

Without taking his eyes from Iolaus', Herc raised a hand to cut off her remarks. Fighting off the despair and grief that assaulted his heart, he trembled, the tears welling in his eyes as he replied quietly, "No, Iolaus, don't beg me to do this, _please_, don't beg. You don't have to...I understand. But, before I give Hera and Hope my answer...I need to say...I need to tell you..."

Herc's voice caught, and he had to swallow hard and steady himself before he could go on. Unaware of anyone else at that moment, of Jason gazing at them with heartrending compassion, of Hera gloating in triumph, or of Hope waiting silently...focused only on these last moments with Iolaus, Hercules struggled to express the depth of what he felt for this brother of his heart, the man who had been his foundation for the whole of his life.

"Iolaus, you know what you have _always_ meant to me," he said finally, his voice low but steady. "You are the most courageous, most compassionate, most decent man I have ever known. You've willingly risked your life time and time again to help others, to do what is right. No matter the hardships or losses you have suffered, you've never once complained." Hercules smiled, then, at his dearest friend, but his voice was hoarse, thick with unshed tears. "I've never known anyone with your joy in life, your energy, your capacity to laugh at whatever the Fates throw at you. You've taught me to take happiness where and when we find it. Iolaus," Herc paused, his voice breaking, his lips trembling as his eyes glistened with tears, "...you have _always_ been the light in my world."

Hera stirred restlessly, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she tried to hasten this dreary scene along, "Hercules, can we put an end to this maudlin show? Say goodbye and go to Hope. I promise you that I will set him free."

Herc nodded, acknowledging that he had heard her but he continued to look into Iolaus' eyes as he finished what he had to say, _"You have always been the best part of me, Iolaus. I...I will miss you every day for the rest of my life."_

Iolaus looked back at his lifelong friend, tears brimming now in his own eyes. "Herc, I have loved _everything_, every minute that we ever spent together. I wouldn't be worth anything if not for you. You gave me my life, my reason for being. _You'll never know how much your friendship has meant to me._ When you remember me..._remember the laughter_..." Iolaus had to stop, overwhelmed by pain, weary beyond words, wanting only for it to end, and seeing all that in his eyes, Herc felt his heart shatter. Finally, Iolaus whispered, "This _is_ what I want Herc. Please, buddy, do this for me."

Gritting his teeth against the sob in his throat, unconscious of the tears spilling down his face, Hercules nodded once and, without taking his eyes from his friend's compassionate, painfilled eyes, he moved forward to embrace Iolaus. As one strong arm encircled his friend to hold him steady, Herc reached with the other for the knife he had placed at his back. Then, with one smooth movement, he brought his arm around and thrust the knife up into his best friend's heart.

Iolaus gasped as he jerked sharply in his best friend's arms and, then, he gave Hercules one last brilliant smile. As he slipped away, his eyes losing focus, Iolaus whispered, _"Thanks Herc..." _

The cords binding Iolaus to the cavern ceiling abruptly disappeared as he slumped into Herc's arms.

Hera shrieked, _**"What have you done?"**_ while Hope moved forward a step, not quite believing what she had just witnessed. Jason, his arms crossed tightly across his chest and blinded by tears, looked away.

Hercules gently withdrew the knife and dropped it to the floor. Wrapping both arms tightly around Iolaus, holding his friend close to his heart, the demigod stood quietly for a long moment, feeling as if all time had stopped, his soul torn asunder. Then, Hercules knelt to gently lay Iolaus' lifeless body upon the cavern floor. Lost in his grief and pain, he was unaware of Jason coming to kneel by his side, putting an arm around his shoulders, sharing his pain.

Hercules shuddered, blinded by his tears, as he gently touched Iolaus' face, whispering brokenly, _"Goodbye, my friend...be at peace."_

Suddenly, Hera started to laugh hysterically, the harsh sound beating down upon them. "Oh, this _is_ wonderful! Better than even I could have imagined! Hercules, you've _killed_ your best friend, and this will be a dagger in your soul for as long as you live!"

Gloating profound satisfaction, she continued, "You'll never dare to have another friend, will you, never dare to ever care for others again, in case you will one day have to kill them too. You'll push away that has-been king by your side rather than risk his life. _**I LOVE THIS!"**_

Unable to contain her jubilation, Hera turned to Hope, holding out a hand, "I'm sorry, I guess my plan to enslave Hercules didn't work after all...but I will cherish these moments forever!"

Hope said nothing, simply raised her cloaked arm and, as she moved it across the space before her, disappeared.

Hera continued to laugh uncontrollably, until with an abrupt gesture, she caused Iolaus' clothing to fly from the corner where his garments had been tossed two days before, to land beside his body. Coldly, she ordered the demigod, "Take what's left of him and get out of my temple!"

While Jason gathered up Iolaus' possessions, Hercules lifted Iolaus into his arms with infinite gentleness and stood to face Hera. "I will kill you for this, Hera," he promised, his voice flat and distant, not caring if he died himself in the process. She'd taken too much from him...he had nothing left. Life had become a burden he no longer wanted to bear.

Hera laughed again, her voice brittle as she replied, "Oh, you can try Hercules, but even if you should someday succeed, you will still know that your friend died by your hand, not by mine." Her evil laughter continued to mock them long after she disappeared in a burst of light, leaving behind a peacock feather that floated silently to the ground at Hercules' feet.

In silent sorrow, the two friends left the temple. Jason could not find the words to comfort Hercules, not yet, not while he struggled with his own grief, his own sense of overwhelming loss. He had known Iolaus almost as long as he'd known Hercules and he had loved few in his life more than he'd loved that crazy, brave, irrepressible soul.

Numb, he could hardly take it in. Iolaus was gone. The beauty of the day seemed a mockery, indecent somehow. Jason stood a moment, looking up into the clear sky, the colour of Iolaus' eyes, as he silently blessed Iolaus' spirit in the depths of his heart. Wiping the tears from his cheeks, he turned then, to Hercules, who had stopped silently beside him, gazing with indescribable sorrow down at Iolaus' face.

When Jason laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, Hercules trembled with his grief and the tears again filled his eyes. "I didn't want to do it. I...I would rather have died myself," he choked out. "But, it was the only way to set him free. He said some things are worse than dying. He asked me to..."

His voice broke, strangled by a sob he couldn't suppress. Swallowing hard against it, Herc whispered, "He thanked me, Jason, at the end, Iolaus _thanked_ me. Ah, Jason, how can I live with this?"

Jason, tears in his own eyes and grief in his heart, put one steadying arm around Herc's shoulders, as he laid his other hand gently on Iolaus' head, brushing back the unruly curls. Quietly, trying to comfort his devastated friend, he murmured, "You really didn't have a choice, Hercules. In your heart, you know that. I know it's hard, but, well, at least now Iolaus is at peace."

"My fault..." Herc whispered.

"Hercules, enough!" Jason cut him off. "Iolaus would not want you to blame yourself. You said he thanked you...he _meant_ it. Remember that. Come on, let's take him home."

Late in the afternoon, having put miles between themselves and Hera's temple, Jason made Hercules stop by a stream to rest, to wash Iolaus' wounds and to dress his body.

Hercules would not allow Jason to help him. Lost in a trance of grief as he wordlessly and gently ministered to his friend, Hercules knew he had to do this himself, a last service to be performed out of respect and love. His hands trembled, and he shuddered at the evidence of what Iolaus had suffered...scarcely a bone left unbroken, the skin flayed from his back, his body blistered and raw with burns, and the wound over his heart.

Hercules knew then, that even if he'd been able to win Iolaus' release by accepting Hope's bargain, his buddy could never have survived the damage that had been done to his body. Herc's heart ached with infinite sorrow, wretchedly helpless and despairing that he'd been unable to protect Iolaus from that hideous agony...indeed, that he was the cause of it.

When he was done tending to Iolaus' body, Herc sat quietly with one hand on Iolaus' chest, covering the wound he had inflicted, whispering over and over as tears ran down his face, _"I'm sorry, Iolaus. Gods, I'm so very sorry..." _

He was pulled sharply back to the reality around him when Jason called urgently, "Hercules!"

Unconsciously brushing the tears from his face, Herc looked toward Jason who was staring past Hercules at something behind him. Turning, the demigod was surprised to see Ares, Aphrodite and Hephaestus standing quietly close by.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice dull and lifeless, not really caring about the answer, not really caring about anything.

Her face pinched with sympathy, Aphrodite stepped forward, answering quietly, "We're here to help you, Hercules."

"Yeah, well, you're a little late," Hercules replied bitterly, looking away. "Iolaus is dead."

"We know...it was the only way to get him away from Hera," she replied, trying to explain.

Turning back to face her, Herc narrowed his eyes, his face frozen and his voice flat as he asked, "What do you know about what happened?"

Ares stepped forward to respond in his typically smug way, "Brother, we know _everything_. I overheard Hera and Hope plotting to make Hera more powerful than all of the rest of us gods put together, _if_ Hera could get you to agree to follow Hope."

Hephaestus nodded as he interjected, trying to help clarify the situation, "When Ares told us what Hera planned to do, we didn't know how to stop her. We could not intervene without alerting Hope and Hera that we were on to them. Together, they would have been too powerful for us to defeat..."

Impatient, knowing they didn't have a lot of time, Aphrodite continued, "So, I sent Iolaus the dream, to warn you...to prepare you...for what you had to do. But, he wouldn't tell you about it, so I had to get Morpheus to keep sending the dream, night after night, until he _finally_ told you about it. Just in time, too, as it turned out."

Hercules had been listening with mounting horror and rage. His voice whipped them with his contempt, "_**I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! You let Iolaus be tortured...you left me with no choice but to kill him, all so that Hera would not become more powerful! HOW DARE YOU COME HERE NOW?" **_Turning his back on them, staring down at his buddy's waxen face, he continued, his rage replaced by bitter anger, _**"How dare you come to me, offer to help me, now, when it's too late."**_

Holding her arms up, reaching toward him, Aphrodite protested, "Hercules, you _don't_ understand, we did this for you, for Iolaus..."

Whirling back to face her, Hercules, overcome by fury and grief, shouted, _**"Oh, I think I understand. Iolaus was just a mortal...his life was worthless to you, the mighty gods. What did it matter if he had to be sacrificed to ensure the balance of power on Olympus?" **_

Hercules paused, panting in his rage, wanting to tear them all apart. Scathingly, he continued, "It's no surprise that you, Ares, would not hesitate to have a good man tortured and killed...but Hephaestus, and you, Aphrodite, I thought you cared for Iolaus... I guess I was wrong."

Turning his back on them, he growled, _**"Get out of my sight...all of you. I never want to see you again."**_

There was a moment of silence, then Aphrodite, looking toward the setting sun, said briskly, "Hercules, we don't have time for this. If we are going to help Iolaus, we need to act before the sun disappears."

Herc ignored her, not understanding, not really listening. But, throughout if all, Jason had listened in stunned amazement. What were they saying? They had done this to _help_ Hercules? _To help Iolaus_? It didn't make any sense. In confusion, Jason demanded, "What do you mean? What can you do?"

Aphrodite, staring at Hercules' rigid back, replied, "Hercules, remember when Palomides was killed by King Augeus? Remember? I was able to hold onto his soul, to keep it from travelling to Hades. Hercules, come on, you _must_ remember. We revived Palomides with a lightning bolt?" When Herc finally nodded, acknowledging that he was listening, she continued, "Well, I put the same spell on Iolaus."

The rage drained from Herc's body, leaving him pale, breathless, afraid to hope. Without turning, still feeling the burn of betrayal, he demanded quietly, "Why are you intervening now...aren't you still risking Hera's wrath?"

Hephaestus responded, quietly, understanding Hercules' anger, his struggle to understand. "I've draped a sheet of invisibility over this area. When we are finished, Hera will not know what happened...she will only know that she has failed again and that Iolaus is alive."

Herc turned, then, trembling as he looked at each of the gods, at Jason, at Iolaus, and then up at the cloudless sky. He could hardly breathe as he realized what they were saying... that they were going to bring Iolaus back to him.

"We need lightning..." he whispered, as he desperately turned back his gaze back to Aphrodite. "How can we do this without lightning?"

Ares had been standing with his arms crossed over his chest, listening with no little amusement to the others. Smirking, he flexed his arms and rolled his shoulders, like a fighter just before a battle. Purring with satisfaction, he explained, "Well, that's where I come in, little brother. I've always wanted to give a full blast of my power to your interfering little buddy...looks like this is my big chance!"

And with that, his eyes glittering with enjoyment, Ares unleashed a blinding bolt of power that hit Iolaus square in the chest. The body jerked under the violence of the attack, but there was no other reaction.

Holding his breath, his heart in his throat, Herc looked from Iolaus to Ares, murmuring hoarsely, "It's not working...try again."

Ares wound up and let loose with another blinding bolt of energy...unfortunately with the same results. Iolaus lay still and lifeless at their feet. Hercules slumped to his knees beside his friend, reaching out to touch his face, his heart breaking all over again.

The sun was slipping from the sky.

Tears in his eyes, Herc looked up at Aphrodite as he choked out, "It's not working...it's too late. There's nothing you can do. Iolaus is dead."

"I decide when someone is dead," a disembodied voice informed them sardonically. Herc and Jason jerked in surprise as Hades flashed into their presence.

Aphrodite turned on her uncle, impatient, upset that the plan wasn't working...not ready to give up yet. Herc would never forgive them if they couldn't get Iolaus back. "Hades, where have you been? You _agreed_ that we could do this. You _said_ you'd let Iolaus live."

"Take it easy, don't get your skirt in a twist," Hades replied with his typical cool reserve. Sighing, he explained, "The energy around Hera's temple must have blocked your efforts to hold onto Iolaus's soul... and so he headed down to me."

Looking thoughtfully down at the body, he continued, "I thought that might happen so I had alerted Charon to call me if Iolaus showed up...I told Charon he was not, under any circumstances, to take Iolaus across the River Styx. When I checked at the landing a little while ago, the two of them were shouting at one another...Charon claiming he had already given Iolaus too many free rides and Iolaus yelling that Charon had no choice but to take him. I ordered them both to be quiet and I told Iolaus to come with me."

Herc shook his head, bewildered, wanting to hope, afraid it was too late. "I don't understand, where is Iolaus now?"

Hades smiled sardonically, "His soul is standing right beside you...I must admit, he looks a little confused by all of this."

With a thoughtful frown, the God of the Underworld again studied Iolaus' body, murmuring, "If we bring him back into that mess, he'll just die all over again." Hades waved a hand over the bruised and broken body, restoring it, healing the physical damage done by Hera. Then, he turned to Ares, and with a gesture toward Iolaus' body he requested dryly, "The sun is almost down...one more bolt of lightning, if you please."

"My pleasure, Unc!" Ares grinned as he lashed out a final time. When the blinding light of the third burst of energy dispersed, Herc held his breath until he saw his buddy take one breath, and then another, and then Iolaus groaned softly as he struggled back toward consciousness.

Hercules gathered Iolaus into his arms, pulling him gently against his chest. Tears glistening in his eyes, his voice barely more than a whisper, Herc smiled tremulously as he called his friend back to him, "Iolaus? Can you hear me? Iolaus?"

Mumbling, Iolaus shook his head, trying to clear his confusion as he became more aware. What was going on? He'd been at Hera's temple...no, that wasn't right. He'd been arguing with Charon...his eyes blinked open, then focused on his best friend.

"Herc?" he stammered, "Where am I? Am I dead?" Confused, weak, Iolaus let his eyes drift, trying to get his bearings. He saw Jason and then he saw the four gods staring down at him, grinning like idiots. Puzzled, frowning, wondering if he was dreaming, not sure if he was alive or dead, he turned back to his friend, asking a little impatiently, "Hercules, why are we surrounded by gods?"

Hercules laughed, a bit shakily, granted, but he laughed just the same. Iolaus always tended to be a little testy when he died. Overcome with joy, he pulled Iolaus to his chest in a bear hug that threatened to crush his friend, as he murmured jubilantly, _**"You're alive, Iolaus. You're ALIVE!" **_

"Hey, Herc, stop, you're hurting me," Iolaus protested, struggling a little to get enough space to breathe. Gods, what was going on?

"I'm sorry," Hercules stammered, loosening his grip, gazing with wonder down into those bright, sparkling eyes, "I'm just so glad...I can't believe..."

Stumbling to a stop, Herc looked up at the gods surrounding them, wondering how he could ever express the aching gratitude that filled his heart. "I was wrong in what I said earlier, I'm sorry...I didn't understand. _**Thank you**_ for bringing him back to me."

Beaming with unconcealed delight that Iolaus had been restored to them, Jason also had to admit he was a little confused. "I can understand why you would want to foil Hera's plan," he said to the gods, "but, forgive me, I don't really understand why you've done this...restored Iolaus' life. Ares, you especially have tried to kill us so many times...why would you help us now? And, Hades, you never willingly give back a soul. Why have you done this?"

The gods looked at one another, and Ares spoke first with his usual gruff bluntness, "You're right, I could care less whether any human lives or dies, and this one in particular has been a thorn in my side almost since he could walk. Such a shame, too...he would have made a great warrior in my armies...but, I digress." Ares shook his head, then continued, "I wanted to defeat Hera's plan but I couldn't do it alone. Aphrodite said that if we were going to succeed, we would have to work together. She made me promise to help or it was no deal...I hate you, Hercules, and I think Curly here is a waste of good air...but no way was I going to bow down to Hera!"

Iolaus made a face at Ares, as he drawled sarcastically, beginning to get his bearings, "Ah, gee, big guy, don't get all mushy on me." Ares curled his lip and snarled back at him.

Hades looked pained by these childish antics. "Grow up," he said with disdain, and then continued with his reason for cooperating in Aphrodite's plan. "Even if you had agreed to Hope's offer, Hercules, Hera would have reneged. She was enjoying herself too much to give up her pleasure, and she was planning to cheat me of Iolaus' soul by holding him for eternity. _**She does not have that right." **_Thoughtfully, the God of the Underworld looked down at Iolaus and then shifted his gaze to Jason, completing his answer, "I've returned him for now, because it wasn't his time. But, I _**will**_ have his soul...eventually."

Hephaestus then picked up the tale, as he explained his reasons for participating in the plot to foil Hera to Jason. "I once told Iolaus that he and Hercules could call on me whenever they had need of my help. They have never asked, but I thought it was time that I repaid the debt I owed Iolaus for bringing 'Dite to me." Turning to Hercules, he finished quietly, "You weren't wrong, Hercules, when you said you thought we cared about Iolaus. We do...more, perhaps, than you might imagine."

Aphrodite, turned then to look deeply into Iolaus' eyes, grinning with devilment as she cooed, "Well, you _know_ I've always had a soft spot for you, Curly. After all, you did judge me to be the most beautiful of all the goddesses. Besides," she giggled, "what would I ever do without my personal trainer?"

Jason chuckled at Aphrodite's teasing and pondered all they had said...each had committed themselves to foiling Hera's plot and, in their own way, for their own very different reasons, to rescuing Iolaus from her clutches. Herc just smiled as Iolaus looked at each of them in turn, sobered by what had happened, by what they had done for him.

"Thank you for warning us," Iolaus said quietly, having figured out that they must have sent the recurring nightmare so he'd know what had to be done. "And thank you for... well, for letting me live."

Not one for sentiment, Hades briskly shot back, "Yes, well, try not to make such a habit of this. One of these days, I _won't_ give you back." After throwing a stern look at Iolaus, Hades turned to Hercules, "I've healed Iolaus' physical wounds, but I suspect that all of you need time to get over the ugliness of what you experienced in Hera's temple."

Hephaestus nodded in agreement, "My cloak of invisibility will cover you for the next few days. Rest, hunt...let these memories fade." As Herc and Jason nodded gratefully, the four gods disappeared in a burst of light, leaving them in the soft light of dusk as the night gathered around them.

Jason moved to stand by Hercules, laying a hand on his shoulder. Wordlessly, Herc continued to hold Iolaus tightly in his arms as he gazed with wonder at his buddy, who had drifted into a healing sleep, recovering from the emotional exhaustion as much as the physical trauma of all that he had endured. Jason could feel Hercules start to tremble, as reaction to all that had happened set in, almost overwhelming him. Understanding, Jason hastened to reassure his friend, "It's alright Hercules, it's over. Iolaus is alive and he'll be just fine. It's alright..."

Herc could only nod as he fought back tears and pressed his lips together, trembling with guilt that this incredible man could be made to suffer so deeply, could be at such continuing risk of death, just for being his friend. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Hercules tried to master the horror of knowing that having Iolaus restored to him did not change the fact that he had _**killed**_ his best friend earlier that day.

He would never, ever, forget how that had felt.

Several days later, all three were well rested, and very much enjoying the brief period of sanctuary granted by the gods. Iolaus had quickly recaptured his exuberance and his ready laughter, joking and teasing, competing about who could catch the biggest fish, seeming to be completely over the horrific torture he had endured in Hera's temple.

But, he was worried about Hercules.

Not that anything seemed wrong. To the contrary, Herc seemed just fine.

Too 'fine'.

Iolaus was well used to Herc's habit of burying the 'bad stuff', the things he didn't want to talk about, that hurt too much, or were too uncomfortable. As the days went by, and Herc said absolutely nothing about what had happened, what he'd been forced to do, Iolaus became increasingly convinced that the memories were haunting his friend. He knew there was no way Herc could just let it go, could not believe that Hercules had so blythely moved on from the experience of, well, of killing him. Iolaus was further convinced that it was eating away at Hercules when once or twice he had caught Herc gazing at him, a haunted look in his best friend's eyes.

So, Iolaus had decided they needed to talk about it...get it out and resolved. As evening again settled in, Iolaus decided to take advantage of the fact that Jason was at the river, fishing for their dinner. Having finished his own chore of gathering wood for the fire, he was whittling a stick with his knife, studying his friend quietly while Herc prepared the root vegetables he had dug up for their meal. It time, time to force Hercules to talk about what had happened. But, knowing his friend's deep reluctance to talk about anything painful, Iolaus pondered how to begin.

Hesitantly, knowing this was going to be painful, he began, "Uh, Herc, there's something we need to talk about."

"Umm, what?" Herc glanced up at him, "Sorry, Iolaus, I wasn't listening."

"Herc, we need to talk...or at least, there is something I have to say," Iolaus said quietly, his eyes fixed on Herc's face.

"Okay," Hercules shrugged, suspecting what was coming and wanting no part of it, "maybe after dinner. I'm a little busy right now."

"No, Herc, now," Iolaus continued, firmly, "I know you don't like to, well, think about what happened."

Hercules froze, his eyes on the food he was preparing as he murmured, "Iolaus, it's over, let it go."

Iolaus paused, frowning. Was it over? Was Herc really okay with what had happened? Shaking his head, not convinced, he chewed briefly on his lower lip, then persisted, "But, you killed me, Herc...that _has_ to bother you."

Wanting desperately not to talk about this, Hercules decided to try evasive tactics. Looking up at Iolaus, keeping his face carefully blank, he shrugged, "No, really, I'm fine. You're alive, that's all that matters."

Gazing into those candid eyes that didn't quite meet his own, Iolaus wasn't buying it. "How could you be 'fine'? You _killed_ me. All the time I was hanging in that torture chamber, I kept wondering if you would be able to do it...knowing if you did, you'd never be able to live with it," Iolaus pushed. He was not going to let Herc torment himself with those memories. They were going to deal with it...and they were going to deal with it _now_.

Realizing that Iolaus was not going to let this go, Hercules sighed and carefully put down the tubers he was slicing. Dreading this conversation, but accepting it was unavoidable, he raised his eyes to those of his friend, seeing the concern there, touched by it, as he replied quietly, "I won't pretend that it was an easy decision, Iolaus. It wasn't."

Taking a deep breath and getting a grip on his memories, the demigod continued slowly, "I didn't want...I kept hoping there'd be another solution. But the choices were to leave you hanging there, accede to Hope's demands, or kill you." Herc looked down into the fire, his voice husky as he continued, "I couldn't leave you...I couldn't stand what Hera was doing to you, would do to you, for all eternity. And, I couldn't agree to Hope's demands. You said it yourself, it would have betrayed everything you and I have ever stood for. So, that only left one choice."

"So, just like that, you decided to kill me," Iolaus reflected, watching, hearing the words, but also something else. Herc was hurting, hurting bad.

"NO! Not _**'just like that'**_," Hercules snapped, beginning to feel pushed, still not able to look at his friend. "Jason said that if we couldn't rescue you, then we owed it to you to free your spirit...to give you the only peace left. And he was right." Finally, looking up into Iolaus' eyes, he said softly, "I owed you that."

"Soooo, you decided to..." Iolaus wasn't letting go. There was still too much regret in Herc's voice, too much guilt...as if he had failed somehow. As if he despised himself.

"IOLAUS! What is it with you?" Hercules intervened, exasperated. "I _knew_ Hera wasn't going to let you go, and those damned cords that held you would only break if you died. I _knew_ she'd never let you go, that she'd either keep torturing you or kill you. I thought... I thought it would be better, easier for you, if I..."

"Easier for me if you killed me instead of Hera," Iolaus completed the thought quietly when Herc's voice died away.

"Yes, Iolaus...and easier for me, too," Hercules admitted, looking away, his voice strained. "I couldn't stand thinking about what she would do to you...how badly she would hurt...how long..."

"And it really doesn't bother you that you were able to, you know, _kill_ me," Iolaus persisted, relentless, deeply worried about the haunted look in Herc's eyes.

Hercules just wanted this conversation to be over. In frustration, he thrust his fingers through his hair, almost snarling as he lifted his eyes to confront his best friend, "Gods, Iolaus...Iolaus, I _killed_ you. I hope you _never_ have to know what that felt like...but, can't you see that I didn't have any choice? There was no other option, nothing else that I could do for you?" Softly then, sounding a little lost, Herc whispered, "I thought it was what you wanted...I thought you'd understand."

Iolaus smiled gently at his partner, as he replied, "Oh, _I_ understand that you had no choice...I just wanted to be sure that _you_ understood it, too."

Realizing that Iolaus had forced this discussion for the sole purpose of making sure that he was not tormenting himself with doubts about his actions, Herc shook his head, and with a hard sigh, blew away his frustration. Looking steadily at his friend, Hercules managed a weary grin, "Iolaus, sometimes I would just like to turn you upside down and shake you until every bone in your body rattles..." Shaking his head again, Herc went back to preparing dinner.

"Umm, Herc, there's just one more thing..." Iolaus murmured.

Hercules groaned as with exaggerated care he again put down the vegetables and turned to his friend. "Now what?"

"Herc, I never really thanked you enough for what you did for me," Iolaus said quietly, his eyes glowing with sincerity, his voice not quite steady, "I want you to know how much I appreciate it...because I _do_ know how hard..."

Herc had gone still while Iolaus spoke, all the colour draining from his face. Then, trembling, his voice ragged, he broke in, "Oh, gods, Iolaus, please, don't _thank_ me. The only reason you were there in the first place was because of me. You don't owe me anything, least of all gratitude, for...for..." Herc stammered to a halt, unable to say it, 'for not being able to do anything to help you except take away your life.'

"Herc, stop it!" Iolaus spoke sharply, knowing that now they were finally getting to it. The guilt, the grief...Herc's incapacity to forgive himself for something that was _not_ his fault. "I get really ticked off when you go into this whole guilt trip about how it's _always_ your fault."

"Because it is my fault..." Herc muttered, looking away.

"No, it is _not_," Iolaus insisted. He paused a moment, then continued, sincerely angry, "Why don't you ever give me any credit for having a mind of my own, for making my own choices? Why don't you _respect_ me enough to understand that I do what I do _with_ you, not _because_ of you? Do you _honestly_ think that I wouldn't help people or fight monsters if I had never met you?" Exasperated, he continued quietly, "Well, you could be right, maybe I never would have been more than a worthless thief, maybe I'd be rotting away in prison or worse by now..."

"Dammit, Iolaus, you _know_ that's not true," Hercules protested vehemently. "You _know_ that I respect you. Gods, you're a hero in your own right, with or without me. More than a hero than I am because you have no special powers, and you understand all the risks. You know how vulnerable you are when you go up against impossible odds..."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a hero, right," Iolaus intervened, his voice tight. "But, if you really believe that, how can you also continue to blame yourself every time I get hurt? My choice, Hercules, my responsibility, not yours..."

"Iolaus," Herc sighed as he shook his head, not willing to let go of what he knew to be true. "The fact remains that you are in greater danger being with me than if you were living a normal life."

"A _normal_ life? Are you kidding me?" Iolaus almost choked at the very idea. "I tried that, remember? We both did and it's just not who we are, Hercules. Look, I knew when I insisted on joining up with you years ago that my decision meant that I'm not likely to die of old age. And that has always been okay with me. Don't look like that, I know you don't like it when I talk about dying."

"No, I _**don't**_ like it...I know what it feels like to lose you," Hercules snapped back. "You're my family, Iolaus. There is _**no one**_ in this world who means more to me than you do. Without you, I am..." Herc struggled to find the words, "I am _**dead**_ inside. Without you, the world has no meaning, there's no point to anything, no hope. You offer all that you are because you care about me. Me, Hercules, not 'the son of Zeus'. You know who I am inside, better sometimes than I do myself. You bring the energy and the joy to the days we share. You...you guard my back. There is _**no one**_ I trust more...and, all that you have _**ever**_ asked from me is that we be friends...but all you get, over and over, is pain."

Hercules gazed at his friend, his eyes glittering in the firelight, his voice cracking, "By the gods, Iolaus, I am _**lost**_ without you...and, knowing this, feeling this, still I...killed you...because death was better than what you were suffering, and I couldn't stop it. Gods, Iolaus...death was the _**only**_ thing left that I could give you."

Staggered by Herc's words, and the force of his emotions, Iolaus was humbled by the knowledge of what his life meant to Hercules. And, as always, he was amazed and overwhelmed that he could mean so much to anyone, let alone the one person he respected and loved beyond all others. Iolaus watched Herc turn his head away and blink back tears, heard him struggle to bring his breathing back under control. Quietly, Iolaus rose to his feet and moved to stand beside his friend, then he knelt beside the demigod, gripping his shoulder.

"I _**have**_ asked you for more than just your friendship, Hercules," he said quietly, "I asked that you save me from Hera's torment. You didn't kill me, Herc, you _**saved**_ me, you gave me peace. It was an act of love, Herc, a gift, I know that. I will always be grateful that you had the courage and strength to give me what I asked of you, what I needed from you. You freed my spirit, my soul. If you hadn't, I'd still be there."

They both shuddered at that horrific thought.

"Hercules, please don't torture yourself with the pain of what my death will someday cost you." Iolaus paused, taking a deep breath. "I can't keep standing by your side if I believe that someday you'll be consumed by guilt because you couldn't save me from one too many monsters. How can I stay with you, knowing that inevitably my friendship will only cause you terrible pain?"

Iolaus paused again, but when Hercules did not respond, he continued quietly, "Herc, I can't stand to see you like this. You know that I'm mortal, someday I _will_ die and I won't be back. You _have_ to accept that. You have to be able to live with that, otherwise you betray my memory and all that we have done together, meant to one another. My life is richer because of you, it has meaning and worth because of the difference we make together. When I _am_ gone, I want you to remember everything that was good, and be glad, be _**happy**_ that I lived exactly as I wanted to. Gods, Herc, please know that whatever happens, whenever it happens, I will _**never**_ have any regrets. Do you hear me? Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Herc nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He did hear, and he did understand. But, he knew that he could never unflinchingly face a future without Iolaus, face that day when he would lose this brother of his heart. Herc knew that he would grieve Iolaus' loss forever after. But, the guilt that had been eating away inside of him whenever he thought of the cavern was easing. He turned and looked into Iolaus' eyes and, finally he nodded, the tension in his body easing away. "Iolaus...don't you ever resent what happens to you?" he asked quietly.

"Resent? What's to resent?" Iolaus replied, not understanding.

"Well, the way Hera tortured you for one thing..." Hercules suggested, frowning with the memory.

Iolaus chuckled wryly, as he responded, "There's not much point in resenting Hera for being a sadistic monster...it's just her nature. She can't help herself."

But Herc's eyes clouded as he remembered the tortured, broken body he'd carried from the temple. Shaking his head, his voice thick with sorrow for what Iolaus had suffered, he murmured, "I saw what she did to you...I don't know how you deal with it. How you stood it at the time, or how you cope with the memory now."

Iolaus' eyes softened as he gazed at his friend, understanding that Herc felt guilty about that too, felt responsible for the agony he had suffered. Memories clouded his face for a moment as he remembered those terrible, endless hours. "It was bad," he murmured softly. "I was close to going mad...would have if you hadn't saved my soul. The only thing that kept me going was knowing that you'd never leave me there, no matter what."

Iolaus focused again on Hercules, and knew he had to help them both get past this. "But, Herc, the mercy of the mind is that it doesn't remember pain...you know that. It's just a bad memory, and we survived it. Gods, I never thought that was going to be possible. It's over, Herc...let it go."

Hercules was thinking about what Iolaus had said, about not being able to stay with him if it only meant he would suffer more when the end inevitably came. Iolaus had to endure enough...he didn't need to be haunted by what his loss would someday mean to him. He didn't want Iolaus taking off some day, thinking he was sparing his partner pain.

Herc reached up and laid a hand over the one Iolaus still held on his shoulder. Swallowing, he said quietly, "Iolaus...I know you worry about me, about what I'll feel, do, without you. But, I really don't want to think about that, okay? I just want to...to enjoy every day, and pretend it'll all last forever. But, please, don't ever feel that your friendship could ever hurt me...it can't. And don't ever think you'd be doing me a favour by leaving before...before you have to."

The two friends regarded each other silently for a long moment. What they felt for one another, what they meant to one another, went beyond words, and they both knew it. Iolaus squeezed Herc's shoulder and nodded. Herc was right...there was no point borrowing grief...enough would come in its own time. "Okay, buddy," he said quietly.

He could feel the tension of Herc's body ease under his hand, and the pinched, haunted look was gone from his partner's face. Relieved, Iolaus also relaxed, knowing they'd be all right. It really was over.

Deciding it was time to lighten the mood, Iolaus playfully punched Herc on the shoulder, and grinned cheekily as he said "Now, come on, finish making dinner. You know that I'm _starving_!"

Finally able to let the guilt go, Herc could not resist laughing with his irrepressible friend, joining gratefully in the familiar banter. "Alright Iolaus, alright," he sighed with mock resignation, "your wish is my command."

Iolaus laughed as he stood and moved away, calling over his shoulder, "Yeah, right. Try to remember that!"

Not long after, Jason returned with a string of fish and grinned as he saw his two best friends in such high spirits, all the darkness and pain of the last week banished from their faces.

The three comrades gathered around the fire to enjoy their dinner, reminiscing, telling stories, laughing, without any worries about what the future might hold...secure in the friendship they would share for all of forever.

Finis


End file.
